Fatty Acid Energy Metabolites Acylcarnitines: How Much is Too Much?

Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation

Description

Acylcarnitines are fatty acid and L-carnitine esters that are synthesized and metabolized in fatty acid metabolism pathways. Taking into account the size of the acyl group, as well as the enzyme and transporter preferences of different acylcarnitines, they can be classified as short-chain (acyl groups with two to five carbons), medium-chain (acyl groups with six to twelve carbons), long-chain (acyl groups with thirteen to twenty carbons) and very-long-chain (acyl groups with twenty-one and more carbons) species. Increased use of mass spectrometry approaches for biological sample analysis provides new opportunities for acylcarnitines as biomarkers, but the physiological roles of different chain-length acylcarnitines in some cases remain to be better understood. Thus far, multiple metabolomic profiling studies have found associations of changes in acylcarnitine concentrations with metabolic disorders, diabetes and insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and certain types of cancer. More information is needed to define normal levels of acylcarnitines in comparison to concentrations characteristic of disease states. Increased long-chain acylcarnitine concentrations interfere with insulin signalling and induce detrimental effects on mitochondria, which can be reversed after lowering acylcarnitine levels. In contrast, a short-chain acylcarnitine (two carbon acyl-group), acetyl-carnitine, is used as a food supplement or experimental treatment for neurological conditions. Interestingly, several drugs, food supplements and dietary interventions induce changes in acylcarnitine profiles. Regulation of acylcarnitine synthesis or metabolism pathways might provide new therapeutic approaches in the future.. .. .. .
Period29 Mar 2023
Event titleRSU International Research Conference 2023: Knowledge for Use in Practice
Event typeConference
OrganiserRīga Stradiņš University
LocationRiga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of RecognitionInternational

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